Sharing Gold

“…a man’s pure consciousness is covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.39)

It’s sad to say, but no amount of distribution of material benedictions will satisfy the soul craving a permanent activity that is coupled with a worthy beneficiary of service, one who can extract the full potential for love found within the heart. The tendency for the giving individual is to provide basic comforts to those who are distressed, but this does nothing to solve the real problem of life, that of the repetition of birth and death. More than just stopping reincarnation, if a distressed person wandering aimlessly for permanent happiness can be given tools and a never-ending project to work on, they can be handed the keys to the mint that houses imperishable transcendental delights.

Why is birth and death important to stop? How do we even know that these occur in cycles? The Bhagavad-gita says so, and since it is the most authorized Vedic text, the information found within can be accepted as fact, especially when received from someone who faithfully follows its teachings. Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the orator of the Gita, and His song is one that has been sung many times over the past five thousand years. Even if we are hesitant to accept the Gita’s statements on reincarnation because of prejudices or boundaries erected through ignorance, we can still take away other precious gems presented by Krishna.

“From the mode of goodness, real knowledge develops; from the mode of passion, grief develops; and from the mode of ignorance, foolishness, madness and illusion develop.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.17)

In one section the Lord tells Arjuna, the direct recipient of the Gita’s teachings, that the senses are very difficult to control, especially since the mind will wander from one place to another. When the spirit soul is placed in an area designated for material activity, the behavior followed can fall into one of three modes: goodness, passion or ignorance. The mode of passion is the one accepted by default by the human being, and it also corresponds directly with the concept of working for fruits and enjoying them. Lord Krishna says that the mode of passion eventually leads to misery, as more and more gains only keep the senses attached to objects that are temporary in both their manifestation and the enjoyment they provide.

What does this mean exactly? An example which nicely illustrates this concept is gambling. The gambler may stop at the card table to only play a few hands, but if he starts winning, he can get hooked to the game. The objective of each game is to win, which is signaled by a payout of some kind. Yet if this payout were the panacea of happiness it was thought to be, what need would there be for further play? As another example, a rich business mogul who makes billions of dollars would seemingly want to rest on his laurels and just enjoy his accomplishments, no? Yet we see that once billions are earned, an even stronger push is made towards increasing that wealth, parlaying your earnings into hundreds of billions.

What drives this chase? Why not just enjoy what you win? The senses are conditioned in such a way that they cannot be satisfied even through constant feeding. Strong desire for the satisfaction of the senses is known as lust, and it is an all-devouring enemy. This point is made by Krishna in the Gita, and it is continually validated in the visible behavior around us. Even though we can see the effects of lust for ourselves without ever having to open a single page of a religious book, the tendency for helping the distressed still follows an erroneous pattern. You see someone down on their luck, in trouble, and you give them some money or some other gift that has an identified monetary value. The idea is that if the sufferer enjoys the gift, their pain will go away.

But let’s think about it rationally. If even the gambler and the business mogul aren’t satisfied by heaps of rewards that are earned through personal effort, why would someone be satisfied with something just given to them? More specifically, if we work hard for something, the resulting fruits will be all the more appreciated. The child has no concept of what money is really worth until they actually start working in adulthood. Yet, if even the people who work really hard to acquire their gains remain unsatisfied, how are those who don’t work hard for their rewards expected to appreciate the gifts given to them?

In the childhood years, presents on one’s birthday are sought after and then later remembered. Even Christmas gifts are anticipated and appreciated because the child doesn’t have the money to go out and buy whatever it wants. Moreover, the child tends to have a stronger desire for gifts than the adults do. As the years go by, however, more and more gifts start to pile up from the many birthdays and Christmas holidays. Among the people storing so many presents, how many of them can actually remember who gave them which gift? The gift could even be something that is used all the time, something that is cherished and brings tremendous enjoyment. Despite the gift’s use, who actually donated it and when remain forgotten.

This is a reminder that the senses are like a machine that just gobbles up whatever is thrown its way. And with each new item consumed, the attachment for such objects increases and the level of satisfaction decreases. A person training to run a marathon eventually learns to run a few miles without a problem, even though in the beginning such short distances caused tremendous strain on the body. With sense gratification fueled by constant attention and gift-receiving, the effect is similar, but the consequences are negative instead of positive. In the past we may have lived without so many things and been able to keep the mind satisfied with very little, but with each new gift comes a new attachment, with the requirements for finding a minimum level of satisfaction increasing just a bit more.

What can be done to solve the problem? Renunciation is a good step, as it helps to prevent becoming spoiled. Good parents are keenly aware of the need for not spoiling their children, as they won’t buy gifts for their kids every time they ask for them. But more than just limiting intake of ice cream and videogame playing, the parents make sure that their children have active engagements. This is much more important than simple renunciation or even the giving of gifts. A fulltime occupation that yields the most mature fruits down the road is the greatest gift anyone can give to another person. In this sense we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the parents who keep their children on the straightened path of education, piety and self-control.

To benefit society at large the benevolent Vaishnava preacher, he who dedicates their life to devotional service, or bhakti-yoga, is kind enough to spray the seeds of devotion all across the land, to every single person willing to accept them. The seed of devotional service can be cultivated within the heart by regularly chanting, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, and abstaining from the activities most harmful on consciousness: meat eating, gambling, intoxication and illicit sex. This basic formula is only the beginning, with brighter fortunes on the horizon. Through chanting and adherence to the principles of devotional service, the engagement that directly corresponds to the soul’s properties is found.

Is there anything wrong with offering other types of aid? Should we not care for the homeless or feed the hungry? Certainly there is much to be said about helping the downtrodden with material gifts, but as mentioned before, no amount of material gift-giving is ever going to provide any lasting satisfaction. The problems of birth and death are still there even for the wealthiest person. Everything had to be acquired in life after taking birth, so why would anyone want a repeat of that struggle? Even for those born into wealthy families, the struggles of the mind and its influence on activity are present.

Beyond birth and death is the transcendental realm, a place where not a second is wasted in laziness, despair, chaos, tumult, or bad times. The transcendental realm is the home of the Personality of Godhead, the person we are all inclined to worship. Even the atheist has a penchant for worshiping God, but due to his clouded vision he can only see the Lord as material nature, whose most potent force is death. The mental speculator can at best understand God as being an all-pervasive spiritual energy responsible for the motions of all autonomous beings. The yogi can see God in His form as the Supersoul residing within the heart.

Only the Vaishnava, or he who worships the Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan, understands God’s presence found both within and without. This means that the Lord can be worshiped at any time and at any place. Though Krishna is in need of nothing, since He is so attractive, one who has made up their mind to serve Him never runs out of avenues for service. You can chant, dance, sing, read, write, or simply hear about Krishna and you will feel tremendous satisfaction.

“For one who explains the supreme secret to the devotees, devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 18.68)

Those who are given the seed of devotional service that has the potential to blossom into a full blown tree receive the greatest gift in life. This also means that those who have carefully sown the seed of devotion within their heart can do the greatest good for their fellow man by distributing the same seeds in the form of the wealth of information found in the Bhagavad-gita, Shrimad Bhagavatam and other sacred texts to as many people as possible. Such preachers are forever dear to Krishna, who appreciates any attempt made to give the individual souls an eternal engagement, a discipline so sublime that its most insignificant fruits are the material amenities previously hankered after.

Just imagine unearthing the largest gold mine in the world and distributing its contents to as many people as possible. This should make everyone happy, no? There are two problems. One is that eventually the gold will run out. The other is that no amount of gold will make a person happy. The same concept holds true with money. If you give everyone a million dollars, it doesn’t mean that their problems will suddenly vanish. For starters, if everyone had a million dollars, inflation would naturally kick in, and ordinary commodities would skyrocket in price. But even if we somehow didn’t have inflation, people will react differently with their money. Some will place it in the bank and draw steady interest, while others will start business ventures aimed at increasing the amount of money they have. And there are others who will squander the money away on enjoyment.

Whatever route is chosen, the satisfaction of the mind will still not be there, as the attachment to sense objects will only increase. With distribution of bhakti, however, the mind becomes fully satisfied. Everyone gets the real gold they are due, which they can then make the best use of. And unlike the goldmine, the reservoir of devotional love can never empty. There is no such thing as running out when it comes to distributing the nectar that is the holy name of the Lord. Even if one is not inclined to chant Krishna and Rama, they can recite whatever authorized name they have for God, for the point is to become immersed in an eternal engagement, one that continues well beyond the current lifetime. While no amount of material gift-giving can make others happy, no amount of engagement in bhakti can ever stop the pure devotee from serving their beloved Krishna.

In Closing:

Find a huge pile of gold to distribute,

To all charity you can contribute.

But this will not make anyone satisfied,

Miseries will only be multiplied.

Some squander their money on enjoyment,

Others parlay it to become affluent.

Regardless, attachment to the senses will be there,

Temporary gains and losses, life will seem unfair.

Instead distribute goldmine of bhakti,

Devotion to God, engagement that sets soul free.

Fame and glories of God never do run dry,

On His qualities for pleasure do you rely.

Soul that finds devotion has always to do something,

Glorify Krishna, stories of His pastimes worth telling.

Of conditioned being greatest enemy is lust,

Can be beaten when in Krishna’s name you trust.

Bitter Clingers

“Generally, the wealth of misers never allows them any happiness. In this life it causes their self-torment, and when they die it sends them to hell.” (Lord Krishna, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 11.23.15)

Sometimes people mistakenly believe that religion is just for those who are poor, or for those who are distrusting of others. “These people are unsuccessful in life, so in order to feel better, they took to religious life.” Some famous politicians refer to these types of people as “bitter clingers” who hang on to their guns and God as a way of coping with life. In reality, religion is for everyone, including those who are well-off.

It is the consensus opinion that material life should be considered successful if one becomes financially well-off. The entire school system is geared towards achieving this end. “Go to school, get into a good college, land a high paying job, and sustain you and your family with a nice salary. This is the path to success and happiness.” The World War II generation suffered through great hardships during their lifetime, including two world wars and a great economic depression. Times were tough, and the good life was never taken for granted. Having any steady job was considered a great reward. For this reason, future generations have tried their best to avoid suffering financial hardships. Politicians and societal leaders try their best to help the “little guy”. Economic policies all revolve around increasing growth and employment and enabling people to get high paying jobs.

Strangely enough, many followers of religion have also adopted this mindset. Religious leaders around the world extol the virtues of prayer. “If you want something, pray for it sincerely and maybe you will get it. Attend church, behave virtuously, and God will reward you with material success.” God is viewed as an order supplier; a person who can heal us and deliver our necessities. Religion is seen as the path to good fortune.

The modern day situation has thrown a monkey wrench into this view of religion. Due to the influence of Kali Yuga, more and more people today have no interest in religion. Strangely enough, it appears that this tendency towards adharma has not resulted in any negative consequences. Though economic times have been tough recently, the standard of living in America is as high as it has ever been. Even the average poor person today owns a house, a car, a few television sets, and an iPod. There is such an abundance of food that the federal government subsidizes farmers and advises them to limit crop production as a way of stabilizing prices.

With the current situation as it is, many people are led to ask the question, “Why do I need religion? I have a nice house, a good paying job, and a happy family life. I have been able to achieve all this success without any need for religion. Therefore spiritual life must not be very important. It only gives poor people false hope.” In reality, this line of thinking is actually correct when it comes to how religion is portrayed today. If God is viewed as an order supplier, and at the same time others can procure wealth without praying to Him, what need is there to be religious?

The Vedas give us the answer to this. Emanating from India, the Vedas are the original religious doctrine for all of mankind. Since each person possesses different qualities and attributes, the Vedas have separate branches, or departments, tailored for specific groups of people. Most of us are karmis by default. Karma is fruitive work done under regulative principles. Whatever my occupational duties are, I perform them to the best of my ability, and then enjoy the results of such work. In a broader sense, karma can also refer to any type of activity or action taken which is either performed for a desired result, or which has material reactions associated with it. By rule, every action we perform on the material level means there is a commensurate reaction. Sometimes we’ll see that certain people are prone to stealing and to cheating others. The laws of karma dictate that these same people will be cheated and stolen from in the future. Their impious deeds have negative reactions.

On the flip side, pious deeds have positive reactions attached to them. Similar to how religious leaders today recommend the process of prayer, the Vedas advise those seeking the four rewards of life: dharma, artha, kama, and moksha, to take to the performance of yajna, or sacrifice. The Vedas tell us that there is only one God and that His original form is that of Lord Shri Krishna. Krishna then deputes elevated living entities known as demigods to manage the affairs of the material world. Through sacrifice, the demigods are propitiated. They then reward the performers of sacrifice with rain, which in turn is used for food production, which enables us to eat and maintain our lives.

“Endowed with such a faith, he seeks favors of a particular demigod and obtains his desires. But in actuality these benefits are bestowed by Me alone.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.22)

One may wonder how America can have such an abundant food supply when almost none of its citizens perform such sacrifices for the benefit of the demigods. The answer is that demigods certainly do provide us boons, but these rewards must be sanctioned by Krishna first. Moreover, all of our material fortunes and misfortunes are a result of our past karma and the karma of others. If we are well-off in this life, it must mean that we performed many great deeds in previous lives. Just as we make plans for the next day while falling asleep at night, every action we perform in our current life serves as preparation for our next life. Our desires at the time of death, along with the work we performed during our lifetime, determine what type of body we will receive in our next life. The Vedas tell us that our souls are eternal, but that our bodies are not. Death is actually just the changing of bodies, similar to how we change clothes after taking a shower.

Krishna, or God, not only supplies food to us humans, but He also maintains all the animals and plants of the world. The animal kingdom certainly doesn’t perform any sacrifices. They have absolutely no idea who God is, for their brain powers are limited. We human beings, the more intelligent species, are so puffed up with pride that we have the nerve to think that we are responsible for our wealth and good fortune. In essence, we think that we are God, since we take ourselves to be creators, proprietors, and destroyers. The reality is that we will be forced to die some day. All these same materials, which make up our possessions, existed on this earth for billions and billions of years prior to our birth, and they will continue to exist long after we are gone. In the grand scheme of things, our time on earth is tiny compared to the age of the universe. Our insignificance cannot be understated. Yet knowing these facts, many of us still think that God is just for the poor or for people who are in need of help in a material sense.

Just because we are well-off financially doesn’t mean that all our problems are solved either. We see that the wealthy are some of the most miserable people. Lord Krishna personally appeared on earth some five thousand years ago to kill the demon Kamsa and to enact wonderful pastimes in Vrindavana. Just prior to returning to the spiritual world, He gave a beautiful discourse on the meaning of life to His good friend Uddhava. Krishna explained that acquiring too much wealth can be very harmful to a person for two reasons. Firstly, the more wealth we acquire, the more we have to defend. A great example of this can be seen with cell phone technology. Competition between cell phone companies is fierce, so there are always new models of phones coming out, each having more and more features. Some of these phones are very nice and valuable, so the people who buy them want to do whatever they can to protect their precious toy. Buying a top of the line cell phone is not enough, for one must have a nice case for the phone that will give good protection. The same holds true with fancy sports cars. One must have a good insurance plan should anything happen to the car. The car also must be washed regularly and checked for nicks and scratches.

This attention to the mode of defense is not very good to us. Money is supposed to make us happy, but we see that the more possessions we acquire, the more miserly we become, as we are always on edge trying to make sure that we don’t lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. This mood of miserliness accounts for the second reason why too much wealth is bad for us. As stated before, every material action that we perform has a commensurate reaction that must bear fruit either in this life or in the afterlife. The Vedas tell us that being charitable is a great virtue. For every dollar we give in charity to a worthy recipient, we receive at least double that amount in a future life. In a similar manner, being miserly brings about negative karma. If we have loads and loads of money and simply hog it for ourselves, we will be forced to suffer in hell in the afterlife.

Thus we see that too much material success can lead to a hellish condition in both the current life and the afterlife. These facts alone should be enough to disprove the notion that religion is just for the poor. The question that may then be asked is, “If religion is not for procuring material benefits, what is it for?” This is the million dollar question. Actually, anyone who sincerely looks for an answer to this question will be guaranteed of success in spiritual life. The Vedas tell us that human life is not meant for driving a nice car, eating sumptuous food, or even enjoying unlimited sex life. Human beings are unique to all other species in that they have a high level of intelligence. This intelligence was given to us so that we could use it to know, understand, and love God.

Athato brahma-jijnasa, “Now is the time for inquiring about Brahman, or God.” Religion is for everyone. All of us should question what the meaning of life is. Material wealth comes and goes, as do our lives. There must be a higher purpose to our existence than the pursuit of mundane sense gratification, for even the animals get to enjoy that. The Vedas tell us that the eternal occupation of the soul is bhagavata-dharma, or devotional service to God. More than just a simple order supplier, God is our dearmost, ever well-wishing friend. He is the reservoir of all pleasure. This means that if we connect with Him, we will feel transcendental bliss. This is spiritual happiness and, unlike material sense gratification, it can last forever.

So how do we achieve this happiness? This blissful feeling comes from Krishna-prema, or love for God. We already have this love in our heart, for we are all originally companions of Krishna in the spiritual world. In order to rekindle that relationship, we need to engage in the processes of devotional service, the simplest of which is the chanting of the holy names of God, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. Even if we live the most comfortable life, we are destined to give up all our possessions and family relationships at the time of death. Krishna is our eternal friend, and sincere service to Him brings immediate results. Serving Krishna means happiness in this life and the next. The spiritual world is not a pipe dream or some mental concoction, but rather it is where we are meant to live.

Poverty of Knowledge

“No one knows where compassion should be applied. Compassion for the dress of a drowning man is senseless. A man fallen in the ocean of nescience cannot be saved simply by rescuing his outward dress—the gross material body.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 2.1 Purport)

Throughout the world, governments and cultural leaders have taken up the plight of those classified as poor and downtrodden. Programs are being proposed and billions of dollars are being spent in the hopes of ending world poverty and hunger.

Compassion for the poor is nothing new. It is very natural for a person to pity others they view as less fortunate. Mainly caused by feelings of guilt, those who are well-off feel bad for those who they view as less fortunate in a material sense. These feelings are especially common amongst wealthy people. The affluent drive around in fancy cars, fly in private jets, and live in very expensive homes, spending lavishly on everything from clothes to food. Being accustomed to such a lifestyle, the wealthy can’t fathom how others can survive without these things, thus they pity them.

The proposed solutions for ending poverty and world hunger are generally all the same. They typically involve spending large sums of money through the processes of charity and redistribution of wealth. Most charitable organizations exist to help those who are less fortunate. Andre Agassi, the legendary tennis player, has set up a foundation to give disadvantaged youths a chance to attend high quality schools in his hometown of Las Vegas. Other celebrities hold annual golf tournaments to raise money for similar causes. Poverty is very common in African countries, so there is much time and money devoted to helping people in that region. The famous Live Aid and Live Eight concerts raised millions of dollars for those struggling in Africa. Governments around the world also take a prominent role in combating poverty. By raising taxes on those deemed to be wealthy, money is redistributed from high income earners to low or no income earners in the name of “fairness.” The Great Society program initiated by President Johnson in the U.S. in the 1960s was an example of this.

While the intentions are very good and noble, these programs don’t usually solve anything. Programs from the Great Society have been in place for over forty years and the poverty rates in America are virtually unchanged. Billions upon billions of dollars have been poured into struggling African countries, yet virtually no progress has been made in solving the hunger problem. More than anything else, these programs serve to alleviate the guilt felt by those who pity the poor. The main reason these program don’t work is because they simply aim to solve material problems. One’s material senses can never be satisfied, no matter how much wealth one may acquire. As Shrila Prabhupada mentions above, compassion for the gross material body is senseless. According to the Vedas, the first book of knowledge, one should have equal compassion towards all living entities, regardless of their financial disposition. Whether one is rich or poor is not important, but rather the plight of their soul is what really matters.

Having compassion for the wealthy may seem like a strange concept. One may have every material facility available to them, but it doesn’t mean that they are happy or satisfied. The demands of the senses can never be satisfied. One need only study the lives of a few famous celebrities to see this truth in action. Rock stars are famous for ruining their lives through drug and alcohol addiction, though they are extremely wealthy and famous. Even great entrepreneurs and businessmen, who are extremely wealthy and successful, take to philanthropy or politics in hopes of satisfying their senses. This proves that the acquisition of wealth doesn’t automatically equate to increased happiness. At the time of death, all of one’s wealth and possessions and family relationship become nullified. Then what happens? This question is what the focus should be on.

As far as concern for the poor, obviously those who are constantly in distress will have trouble making spiritual advancement. For this reason, the Vedas prescribe a simple lifestyle for all. Not eating too much or hankering after great wealth, one should be satisfied with his or her allotment in life. This leaves plenty of free time to engage in the real occupation of man, that of service to Krishna. Lord Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original name of God that applies to everyone. The purpose of this human form of life is to develop an attachment and love for Him. Only then will we truly be happy. In the Vedic system of varnashrama dharma set out for society, the brahmanas, or priestly class of men, would voluntarily put themselves into poverty. They would limit their possessions so as to avoid attachment to all things material. Living a very meager lifestyle, they would depend simply on Krishna’s mercy and the charity of others. In the Vedic system, charity is only to be given to the brahmanas. Giving away money to others may be a selfless act, but if the recipients of charity utilize it simply for sense gratification, then this form of benevolence doesn’t really do anyone any good. Charity given to bona fide brahmanas benefits all of society since the brahmanas constantly serve the Supreme Lord Krishna. In order to maintain a plant, one must water the roots and not the leaves. In a similar manner, if we serve Krishna, the root cause of the entire creation, then the rest of our problems are automatically solved.

Great leaders of the world would be better suited channeling their time and energy towards educating the population about the science of bhakti yoga, or devotional service to God. This science isn’t very complicated and anyone can understand it. In this age, one simply has to recite God’s name in a loving way as much as possible and eventually all problems will disappear. By encouraging everyone to engage in the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, world leaders can make a real difference in solving everyone’s real problem, that of filling the existing spiritual void. Real wealth can only be acquired when one has developed a pure love of God.

Feeding the Hungry

In America today the hungry are fed through generous contributions made from citizens to various charitable institutions. The government also offers a food stamp program for the poor which is funded through taxes collected from the general population. While these programs may seem nice, they are not ideal.

The Vedas tell us that it is the responsibility of people in the grihashta ashrama to offer food in charity to others. A person’s life is divided into four stages or ashramas, they being brahmacharya (celibate student life), grihastha (householder or family life), vanaprastha (retired family life) and sannyasa (the renounced order of life). Of all these stages, only those in the grihastha ashrama are supposed to give in charity, and people in the other three stages are the recipients of said donations.

According to the Mahabharata, the primary duties of a householder are to feed the gods and to feed guests. Householders engage in fruitive activity earning money, so it is recommended for them to use the fruits of their labor toward offering food to Krishna, or God. They are also required to host as many guests as possible. Shrila Prabhupada says that prior to eating, a householder is supposed to go out in the street and ask if anybody is hungry. The needy then come over and the householder serves them.

In today’s age of Kali, we are all very suspect of each other. Married people often don’t like to invite guests over because it is a burden to them. They think, “Well, so and so never invite us over to their house, so why should we call them over to ours?” This kind of tit-for-tat mentality is not prescribed by the scriptures. In Sanskrit, such people are referred to as kripanahs, or misers. The Ebenezer Scrooge character from the classic Charles Dickens short story “A Christmas Carol” is a famous example of a miser.  Mr. Scrooge was a very unhappy and stingy businessman who paid his workers low wages and never gave money to charity. Through the miracle of Christmas and visits by three ghosts, he eventually changed his ways, but his last name is synonymous today with miserliness.

The Vedas advise everyone, especially the grihasthis, to avoid miserly behavior. A householder earns tremendous spiritual merit by hosting guests and feeding them sumptuously. A guest is to be received very warmly, offered a nice place to sit, and given sumptuous foodstuff to partake of. Householders are not supposed to eat until after the guest has finished eating. In this way, married couples purify themselves by eating the remnants of the offered food.

It is actually considered a great sin for a householder to receive a guest improperly. A famous example of this can be found in the Mahabharata. The five Pandava brothers, cousins to Lord Krishna, were serving an exile period in the forest when they were visited by Durvasa Muni, a great Brahmana who had brought a large group of fellow sages with Him. The Pandavas and their wife Drapaudi had just finished their midday meal, so there was no food available to serve their exalted guests. Fearing the wrath of the Brahmanas, Draupadi prayed to Krishna to alleviate the situation, and the Lord obliged. While the sages were bathing in a nearby river, Lord Krishna appeared at the scene and took a morsel of food that happened to still be in the serving bowl used by the Pandavas. The Lord then declared that His hunger was satisfied and miraculously the hunger of all the sages was satisfied at the same time. The sages returned from their bath and declared that they were pleased with the hospitality they received from Drapaudi, relieving her of any sin she might have incurred.

Though the ideal householder life may be difficult to implement in this age, the best thing a family can do is to become devotees of Lord Krishna and offer all their food to Him prior to eating. This prasadam should also be distributed to as many friends, family, and neighbors as possible. Through this system, there is no need for government programs or food donation charities. In this way, the householders can perform the highest service to their fellow man and satisfy society’s real hunger, the hunger for spiritual life.